#coroner's pidgin

[j-august]

It is a human instinct in times of other people's stress to find the most disinterested person present and get in a huddle.

Margery Allingham, Coroner's Pidgin

[j-august]

She was like a beautiful, high-powered car driven by an engaging maniac.

Margery Allingham, Coroner's Pidgin

[spacetimeconundrum]

Felt like illustrating one of my favourite scenes in the entire Campion series -- September 1944, Albert finally gets his first home leave in over three years. (I’ll hide the scene behind a read more to protect those interested from the full spoiler experience.)

Mr. Campion opened the gate, crossed the vegetable patch and, skirting the cottage wall, turned on to the little grass lawn which had a muddy path running through it. There he stopped abruptly, an intense emotion, three parts honest embarrassment, overcoming him.

There was a person not yet three upon the path; he was white-haired and was wearing sun glasses. At the moment he was squatting by a puddle, one discarded sandal firmly clasped in his hand.

His preoccupation was a simple one. He was trying to fit the shoe into an imprint recently made by it in the mud.

As Mr. Campion came up to him, he raised his head from his task and stared upward, and for a time they stood looking at one another in amazement.

A girl with red hair and a wide mouth came out of the cottage and joined them. She was brown and slender, and her green dress was formal and a little old-fashioned.

“Hello,” said Amanda, “meet my war work.”